Dissidia: Double Edge
by Inklungs
Summary: AU. The twelfth cycle has concluded with an unexpected ending. For the truth can only be known to the future itself. 'For discord and harmony are only made up of the human mind after all...' Cid. For conflict is not against others but yourself. Let the characters journey into the final fantasy against themselves.
1. Prelude: Choices

**Disclaimer: I do not own FF series, dissidia and every single final fantasy character including chocobo and cactuar belong to SE.**

* * *

The other one burst with the same deadly trick as the fallen angel. In midst of the green intense, constant of flowing ribbons in the Planet's Core. A bright multi-colored star exploded. But the one winged angel Sephiroth easily flew out of the way of his adversary; himself.

"A clone or are you?" The other one shot back.

"Dodge this." Sephiroth hissed with murderous glamour as he flicked his long blade down the platform. With effortless slither,the masamune glided down sturdy rocks and threw one huge lump straight into the other Sephiroth's eyes. Dusts hit first before the solid brick broke in half at the collision of other Sephiroth's head with a skull cracking noise.

The chance gave the offensive Sephiroth a brilliant opportunity. Jaded glow of death the same color as the cat like eyes of the attacker shone off the masamune. In one terrifying sound, he flapped open his giant black wing, soaring into the clouds like the son of calamity. The downed Sephiroth had little time to even look up before one slash came upon his spinal cord out of nowhere. The first slash was brutally quick to disable and soften. There is no chance for any defense, the second and third hit his arms and legs simultaneously, leaving deep gashes, this Sephiroth screamed in pain as he let go of his own weapon. The fourth to sixth was Sephiroth's own way of torture as he slit in the most sensitive parts of the body, leaving the once cunning opponent a pile of miserable waste. The seventh struck the victim on the head, lacerating the skull as the unforgiving blade dug into the brain tissue.

Sephiroth intended this to be the main offense. Slash to weaken, stab to kill. He squarely spread his legs, pointing the blade right downwards from the heavens. Descending rapidly as he muttered in icy-ruthless. "Ignorant Traitor! You'll PAY with your life!"

The heavy impact shook through the identical Sephiroth as he let out a surprised yelp. Sephiroth the murderer took no pity as he drew the blade, for a second the Sephiroth he impaled went with his draw, till he booted the victim in the neck so the sword separated from the arteries.

With his mouth closed the cold laughter still hummed from the killer, while a stream from the stab wound sprayed onto his face. He licked the blood and smiled with pleasure. His pair of slit pupils contracted but was hidden by his natural silvery hair that extended to his back like Lion's manes. Except 2 distinct locks that stood in a more solid than drooping shape. Which was his main curtain for emotions.

He lifted his hands in victory. This was no easy opponent. They have circled for perhaps days before this strategic breakthrough. He'd done it. He defeated his vessel. Now the next cycle will neither be Chaos' or Cosmos's. It will be his. It's his turn to be the God.

"Fighting you is a pleasant reward, I must admit." He stepped onto the victim's gloved hand before he could reach the identical handle of that other masamune.

"Fighting oneself certainly awarded one with lots of memories. Including the memory that any hero who lived long enough, will definitely live to a day where he becomes a monster. One horrid beast with a selfish resolve to be played to the world." He spat and humiliated the Sephiroth beneath him.

Regaining memory of his Wutai services, Sephiroth was now used to the 2 separate violences. Either those with kids who trade blow and blow. Like young deers locking horns. Or the satisfying ones of life and death where one chance is certain victory. There is no forgiveness for the loser as once his down. He shall never be up again. Mother spares nothing for the weaker son. Sephiroth knows that and from the calculating wounds he gave. He was sure the man who looked like him beneath his feet is too crippled to have any chances of winning. He wanted to take the latter option. Kill this useless version.

"Angeal... Niebelheim... My friends... I'll never accept YOU!" The downed Sephiroth screeched from his part of the memory of the same man or murderer.

"Angeal is nothing but betrayal. Better dead than alive." He growled like an animal. "Accept it. All of those who known you... used you, and left you to the barren world when the time came. I am the one who guides you. I know you Sephiroth. Without me! You are one pathetic dog slaved by others...Left to die!"

He inspected the defeated clone's hair. For the 2 locking strands of his own were more absent. It was how he looked during those days of bright sunny skys filled with dusted gold + freedom. Where there was friendship, security but it decayed like everything else. Unlike gold, happiness never last and never existed except in the pathetically inferior minds of commoners. Whose existence must be extinguished.

He raised the masamune to his side, to behead. But one hand quickly grabbed his boot, jerking him sideways as the hand took him off balance. Sephiroth tripped but didn't fall a the last minute in expert mastery of his orientations.

The refreshed Sephiroth somehow was glinting a golden light, as if on fire. His height decreased, the levels of his eyes lowered. His features got smaller. The overall impression younger, as if somewhere between a 13-15 year old boys. With an angry roar, the outraged teenager swiftly slide his retrieved blade across the adult Sephiroth's face, drewing blood on his godly masamune before cleaning down the red in one hammerfist to the handle. Blade again polished.

But adult Sephiroth quickly counterattacked him. Barely managing to block the blade in time, the younger Sephiroth at least turned his long katana to the right angle to avoid a fracture. Ground gave and cratered from the impact surrounded by light aquamarine flashes. Pair of slitted cat like eyes locked as tightly or more firmly than the swords. The younger one somehow frightened and shy but this allowed his trick up the sleeve.

Without warning, the younger Sephiroth took advantage of his smaller height, pushed the lock up, while dancing gracefully to body-body contact where he knew Masamune is less useful.

The adult Sephiroth was baffled as one arm came beneath his right armpit. The other around his left neck. In one constricting tightening like a python, he found himself choked out of breath by the triangle grip. But he still failed the next part, as the teen quickly stepped behind his square footings. By now he realised it was a classic martial trick he haven't practiced since childhood. Yet too late. A quick reap of his right leg came which send him stumbling into the ground. He was out of air. He failed again as a heavy combat boot sank itself dirtily into his groin where his jewels hid.

His face flashed red. He jumped up in one swerve but the younger counterpart already fled far far away.

Sephiroth cursed and stabbed his sword into the ground. He'll torture and brutalise the youngster for a tutorial later. Not till he gets something cool for his balls.


	2. New battles

**Disclaimer: I don't own FF7 or FF8 or Dissidia. WARNING THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SOME VIOLENCE. I CHANGED IT TO MATURE. READ AT YOUR OWN JUDGEMENTS, NOT FOR FAINT HEARTED! Sorry Cloud fans but just wait please.**

* * *

"Perhaps." Squall Leonhart mused in reminiscence. He barely had time to notice the canary field of blooming flowers, their stalk as thin as the optical fibres in a cable that no one wanted to trample any.

"We could go on a mission together again…..someday." Squall moved his lips warily, breathing it to himself. Cloud wondered if Squall wanted him to hear it or simply was suffering from some sort of….angst, as if the man had any feelings at all. Squall had some similarities shared between the two.

"Not interested." Cloud followed with a smug huff. The battle has finally come to an end. A prophecy of a never-ending conflict…resolved. He could sense the man in the black leather jacket breath out. The superhuman senses of the genetic augmentations SOLDIER personels received allowed him to sense the emotions and taste in that sign like dog's sniff of scents. Squall was clearly eager to go but he isn't completely happy to forget all these 9 so quickly neither. 'Time flies' just like Bartz said.

The spikey blond lifted his sword up. Walking a few steps into the daffodil field. The scenery was exquisite enough with the quartz clear lake, the fantasy like castle, a sky without strive and clouds…Cloud was enjoying the views of Warrior of Light's world with hidden expression, his heart uncertain about where he's going to return.

Squall wished everyone as best of the peace they so painfully achieved. He remembered her velvet black hair, so smooth it was like a blanket. Her round cute cheeks and her gracious puppy like face, with the soothing big cavernous eyes. She was just a treasure to him. It's good to fulfill the promise at last. He easily catches the falling feather with reflex. Disappearing into golden particles as soon as touch occurred. He unexpected smiled out of his emotionless neutral mask.

In less than a second, Warrior of Light made a satisfying sign with some pity. Tidus the little runt, Zidane a sneaky burglar, Squall or just Squall, Cloud the doubting but resilient guy, Terra the girl with magic that he never seemed to respect enough. Comrades who kept him up in the best of times he probably won't ever get help from again. Soon Bartz, Cecil, little Onion and Firion will follow. He felt somehow less comfortable. If they go, he'll be alone again, there wasn't any in particular who he remembers in this world that was close, in fact while the others gained back most memories, he still feels empty.

He remained silent as the rest vanished. Managing to just open his mouth to wish Firion something before the man was gone in front of him.

"May this eternal light granted by her…bless forever on us. Thank you everyone." He continued anyway, walking among the field towards the place of striking purpose Cornelia Castle. Silently strolling the fields, he remembered again of their experience as he listened to the soft humming. Picking up a flower the same yellow as his armour, a scent nearly provoking a tear of happiness.

* * *

It wasn't long before Cloud heard a faint wail somehow in borderline between his head and reality. He now had all his memories and this noise hit the chord he hated the most all his life.

The horror chord struck again. The woman was clearly in life threatening distress. Cloud darted into the direction leaving a black carving line in the new flower field near the Church behind the spot where another line is running off.

The wail came again rapidly in a turned direction, prompting him to quickly change before he could trip. Barely catching up, he was relieved that it wasn't Aerith but….'Marlene?' Cloud asked before jerking off the buster sword and blocking a slash to his face in half of a move. Green opals cut with black slits reopened the scar in his soul. Sephiroth wasn't dead after all…..

'You don't waste to not cherish a thing…Don't you?' The deep treacherous audio hummed with dire sinister intent.

'No. NO. This has nothing to do with her! Stay dead! You were gone in that world.' Cloud clutched his head, holding his sword with difficulty.

'Dead? I'm free you ignorant puppet!' Sephiroth spat and grabbed Marlene's hair then flew back with the screaming child, Cloud jerked out of sharp instinct but the tip of a blade as tall as a man kept him at a distance to the neck, it was hopelessly impossible to close before he could hurt her.

* * *

(This is not it!) Squall chewed on the fibrous stalk of a crop he carelessly picked. The flowers here were exotic in Squall's memories, everything was different from Balamb all the way from the grayish sky to the blades of the flowers. He certainly hoped that Cosmos or whatever deity she is…would not be as stupid as to send him into the wrong place. He was dead wrong. Without thinking he cowered in the grass as a sharp ringing blasted into his ears from the high grasses. Some enemy was probably nearby.

Cloud fought off with more and more scars that were multiplying like some hideous disease. The only thing still keeping him alive wasn't his fighting prowess at all. Instead he was only running away into the field with every attack hoping he could lose trail despite cursing his soul to hell for not helping Marlene. This fight was even more brutal than any encounter. Within the first 3 moves the demon attacked him with. Cloud was already nearly losing a sword hand and a leg. Out of survival fear of a useless primitive caveman, Cloud simply took off. This doesn't even feel like Sephiroth! He thought about dying to get her away but there would be no one to ever get re-enforcements.

'Marleeeeeen!'

Cloud crushed his skull into the source of the voice who knocked him down like a wall of solid bricks.

'Wha on Gaia? Yo ass been off for-'

'Barrete, he's here! It's him! I'm gonna make a distraction, he'll be here soon, you get-'

Cloud screamed as razor cut into his hamstrings. Instantly he felt as if a bullet shot through his leg. He swung back faster than a mantis despite the sword's weight….even that wasn't enough as the figure took off to the air, pulling his spikes along and dropped him head first back down. Cloud heard a drumming of bullets.

'DAMNNN NOT HEEEERRRR! ANYYYYTHING! YOU %^&7 BASTARD! MAAAARLEEENE!' Barret screamed at an almost feminine pitch as 3 bullets were shielded by the one winged angel who used a girl as a bulletproof vest but not to the extent to kill but to simply enjoy the man draining fluid from his 'daughter' and sucking in the pain of a father's flesh aching to fulfill his hunger. A girl can't take much but she'll live.

Without any sign of positioning, he struck so quickly that he block Cloud's wolf like burst to the air and made an offense by severing his hand as if it was effortless. Enjoying the thump as the sword of his once 'friend' and his nemesis sworn with poison shattered to pieces on the floor with broken bones of the wielder's hand.

'You '&^&%8#, the fu%^&$% Gaia's issue!' Barret dropped to his knees. Cloud never heard him like this since the dropping of the sector that killed off his team years prior.

'Any-' Barret didn't finish before the crippled Cloud tackled him and sent him crashing into a tree nearby like a werewolf hunted by hounds. 'Run' was all he mouthed before the fray started again.

'What is wrong sir? Or should I say Sephiroth the great!? Huh! Look at me!' Cloud's exploding rage spoke malevolently out of his teeth that bit so hard if they'll splinter into bits.

'Are you scared Sephiroth!? You scared of me to the point where the 'Great Hero Sephiroth!" Cloud emphasized at the insult. 'Would be so helpless to use a girl?' Cloud tried to play with him emotionally for an opening.

'Helpless? Scared?' Sephiroth chuckled evilly with a satisfied delight, cupping Marlene's mouth. 'I wanted to _thank you_…..Cloud...You're scared for now...Do you enjoy the taste of my despair?'

Sephiroth forced the chocobo a scream as the he clutched him with a free hand slowly using unnatural strength…mangling, twisting, tearing, squeezing at blood vessles, bones, flesh, morsels, tendons, ligaments and everything his hold at Cloud's partial wrist. 'You trapped him there, which made my day! You helped me get rid of _hiiim_! I want you to pat your back in appreciation as I will play and hold no longer!' Sephiroth picked up the Masamune once stabbed into the ground and tossed the infinitely long blade back like a dart.

* * *

Squall was inches from losing his head. He thought he was in track of the victim but he wasn't sure as he can't see something that far. However, he managed to bend his neck. The only disappointment was the beloved gunblade severed in 2. He held it vertically so tight that it was a pity he didn't move his weapon with his head. He was too nervous that something might jump in front of him.

This wasn't even a fight. It was an attack. That thing flew forward like one helicopter rotor.

He gazed to look at the weapon and gasped in pure surprise as his heart nearly busted to bits, both metaphorically and literally as he turned in an arc to stop the polished but lengthy pike of death from impaling him, quickly returned to its owner with invisible force. Someone with telekinesis.

'Sephiroth's sword!' Squall's mouth nearly squeaked while with his bottom on the floor, Squall knew better to stay at the distance to come up with a solution while subconsciously checking if there was any wound he didn't feel from the attack which there was. Squall swore as he himself bled from his left shoulder. There wasn't even feeling of getting cut. He was losing blood. Very quickly.

Leonhart was paralyzed in sheer shock (Why is he here? Where is 'here?' What's Cloud doing? Is Sephiroth really gone?)

* * *

'Sorry for the hasty introduction.' Sephiroth whispered into Cloud's ear. 'But this time, you will stay in MY memory!' Sephiroth unleashed his gag on the little girl. 'Marlene?' Isn't it? The psycho talked smoothly with no attention to time that was draining Cloud's blood as he bled.

Marlene nodded. She just doesn't want Cloud to die.

'Let's play a little game. Shall we?' Sephiroth touched his forehead with Marlenes, killing her with his eyes. Forcing her to do so. 'If you win. Cloud lives. If you lose. I'm afraid Cloud dies…..'

* * *

Everything froze for Cloud. A bright white light boomed ahead. Both Marlene, the field, Barret, Sephiroth. They were gone. 'Hey there, Spikes? Missed me while you were away?' The always so cheerful voice asked as a delicate hand cleaned his wound with healing water.

'Aerith?' He nodded.

'Zack?' He tried to clutch his dear comrade who would always lend him help when he needed. Instead Zack simply gently shoved his hand back to let him rest. In fact Aerith wasn't happy.

'Is…Marlene…..Barret? They s- safe?' Cloud asked. To this shock, both were ghostly silent. Or they are ghosts. The way they responded scares him. Quickly the mirage faded. A silver blade rammed right into his left chest. Sephiroth was definitely not playing! He felt something pump and generate more pain with this unearthly metal. His own fragile engine in the ribs.

* * *

'Wrong. Wrong! WRRRROOONNNG!' Sephiroth chuckled to the girl.

'You are impressive with riddles but nevertheless human. Like the rest of the pathetic bell ends.' He silenced her with a finger to the lips.

'But thanks to your kindly friend Sephiroth. I will change that.' He stared at her while she was confused. Marlene didn't even know he had his blade back. He slowly pulled out his sword with his bare hand on the blade mixing his blood and Cloud's. The action was filled with careful twists and zig-zags so Cloud would scream and groan like back all the way to the first time. Further shattering Marlene's will and mentality.

Sephiroth grinned as he looked her with that hateful stare again. In a blurred stab he reached into the open wound of Cloud and with disgusting visceral cracks and squeals. Cloud's heart came swiftly into the open, detached completely as the 4 vessels had wines going out like sprays. Marlene screamed but immediately silenced herself.

Cloud was rasping for breaths now. She wasn't so sure if Cloud is still thinking or if he's not alive. Sephiroth to her disgust bit into the heart and swallowed some before tossing the rest into the blond's face whose mouth was now gaping. Cloud showed no signs of life except momentary cramps from his arm.

'Our roles are reversed. I am more than a memory now.' Sephiroth took off with Marlene to the air. Somewhere near the field, he detected the mercenary lying cold on the field, injured less grotesquely. He was nearly about to drop the blade right through Squall's eye but pushed the blade a little further to the side just before the drop. If anyone was to blame for Strife's murder. Someone unknown to this world in a black leather would be the perfect blame.

While they were away. Marlene knew something Sephiroth hinted. She sent a mental message to her father.

Barret woke up. He quickly hurried over to Cloud, violently shaking the man but to little avail, he slammed his fists down and loudly rubbed his face on the bloodied Black jumper. He's going to tell Tifa all of this…

He suddenly looked into the skies.

'Marlene.'

Barret ran back. How is he gonna tell Tifa?!


	3. Mystery Man

Disclaimer: I don't own FF

* * *

'Celes! Celes! Celes! Your memories are just sooooooooo useless.' The slightly clown like man with fair brushed golden hair in a pony-tail chirped annoyingly endlessly for already hours. She initially came to horror at some striking similarities but eventually dismissed it as one of the neo-Kefka imitators who would try to use the devil's image to scare others into cults. How could they even wish anything back in those days ever?

'I've waged war against the world. Become a high deity and you dare to oppose my return?' The guy was beginning to annoy them. The sight of these Kefka doubles made her life even worse. If the modifications they did to her with magic didn't make her insane, the stupid clowns will.

(He's clearly more irritating than amusing now. The fool's jokes and rhymes are lame at best if they are any at all.)

'Get out of here in this instant!' A man's arm immediately grabbed him and twisted his elbow pushing him out a few feet back.

'Money. Woman. Family. Reason. You can only discover if you get a life! Live in a righteous way! Now get out of here, believe it or not, I will make sure my blade is working to test the security.' The man pushed the annoyed costume imitator a few feet back more.

The man immediately fled for his life just as Locke drew out his weapons to intimidate.

'Don-Do-Don't hurt me. I bring you no harm! Kefka can go to back to hell.' The fake trailed away.

'Such pathetic worm.' Locke cursed. 'His jokes are so lame that only a retard would mistake him for real.'

Locke looked away. They had hoped ridding Kefka would make things better. The world wasn't near as bad as that man thought. She somehow find herself agreeing more and more to the pointless nihilism day by day and night by night.

Ever since the evil deity was killed and the world free, life regenerated but at a price. With the Gestahl Empire a memory left in the dusts, the discord filled the world; various men claimed themselves the savior and sought to take resources, power, and politics into their own stained hands. Conflict which drank blood had raged for almost a decade.

For most of the time, Terra, Locke and herself would be free of the violence and dispute those mindless people gave to each other. Their village and the small land they had were quite free. They each had their own reasons to live life. Living is an answer to life. She and Locke were still taking care of Terra's friends who since those years grown into fine young adults while Terra herself was getting mature.

The bloody chaotic things going on still affected everyone though. Out there somewhere, a new empire is in construction, sister poisons sister, son plot to kill father and everyone was for themselves.

She sometimes questioned if it would be better to leave Kefka to destroy, humans are always humans.

Right in that instant a messy man with gruff blonde hair burst into the hutt.


End file.
